Shattered Inside
by Karen Hardy
Summary: A dark fic about Karen, Frank, and Joe, set about eight months before the events of "You've got to be kidding me". The kids have been missing for several days and they're close to being shattered inside. (Trigger warning for sexual assault.)
1. Author's Note

This is rather dark fic I though up a while ago, but abandoned for that reason. It's also a PtJ - Prior to Janessa fic. This was an old fic I had the idea for a while ago, and when I remembered about it, I just couldn't fit Janessa in it. So the fic is set before my first fic, "You've got to be kidding me" and it has the boys and Karen. They've been missing for several days and they're close to being shattered inside. Once again, it's dark, so rated T for that and trigger warnings for sexual assault. It's also written in third person, so enjoy.


	2. Introduction

Fenton Hardy turned on the news, knowing what he would see, but he turned it on nonetheless.

"The three Hardy children have been missing for over seventy two hours," the blond reporter said, too cheerfully for his liking. There was a picture of the three teenagers in the background as the woman continued, "The police department refused to give statements on their leads, but that they are doing as much as they can to help find the three teenagers. Descriptions are as follows: Frank Alexander Hardy, the oldest, is age seventeen, six foot one, brown hair and eyes. A year younger is Joseph Mark Hardy, age sixteen, five foot eight, blond hair, blue eyes, and their little sister Karen Louise Hardy, age thirteen, five foot three, brown hair and brown eyes. If you have seen them, please phone the police department immediately. Thank you. Onto another story…"

Fenton turned off the television and just sat there. His three precious children had been kidnapped and he couldn't do anything about it. Everything he saw or heard reminded him of them. Turning on the radio he heard a song from at least one of his children's favorite bands. He had to walk past their rooms, knowing that he failed them. He didn't dare think about what was happening to his kids. He knew how sick and twisted some of the people both he had, or worse, _they_ had put behind bars were. He had been looking through his files and they knew of three possible kidnappers. The first, Jesse Michaelson. Fenton had put him in jail for sexual assault a year before Karen had been born. When Jesse had heard about hef, he bided his time until he broke out eleven years later. He had tried to come after her, only to be caught again on a rookie mistake. He swore up and down he'd get her one day, and it was the bane of Fenton's existence. Jesse had served his time and was out again, and it had driven Fenton slowly crazy. Another possibility was James Dirivian. Dirivian was a psychopath who never actually killed his victims, they killed themselves. He always kidnapped them and a few people they cared about, he left a gun with them, but said if they tried anything those people would die. Then he tortured them into insanity until they took their own lives. It was sick, but Fenton knew that it was nothing compared to some people who were thankfully still behind bars. Lastly, there was Angelina and Osvaldo Morales. She was a drug dealer with about two dozen cronies, her brother included. Fenton had originally sent them to prison, but they had broken out a few years later and it had been the kids who'd put them back. They'd all sworn they'd get their revenge and this could be it. It could be two of the candidates or all of them working together, or it could be one on their own. All Fenton knew was that his kids were gone and that their lives, and or their sanity, were most likely at stake.

He was right.


	3. Chapter 1

Karen awoke to the sound of footsteps on a hard, damp, stone floor. She pushed herself into the corner of the room and curled up, trying to shield herself.

They were back.

It only sounded like a few sets of footprints, but you could never be sure here. There was a clicking and jangling on the other side of the thick iron door and she froze.

They were coming in.

Her breath was ragged as she prayed to god it was Angelina or Osvaldo, or better yet Christie. Christie had been hired, probably kidnapped, by the Hardy's captors to tend to the Hardys when they would get so hurt that they needed medical attention. Karen just wanted the person to be anyone but Jesse or James. James had been in to see Karen several times. Well, honestly, they all had, but it was Dirivian and Jesse she feared the most. She'd read her father's case file on Dirivian, and everything in it was true. He would slowly make you hate yourself until you go over the edge. She couldn't stop him. They'd kill the boys if she tried. And Jesse had tried to… to… She couldn't bring herself to say it or even think it.

She turned her head away as the door opened.

"Relax lass," a soft Irish voice said, "Just me."

Karen let out a sigh in relief after the door shut.

"Who was the last one to come in?" Christie asked.

"James." Karen breathed.

Christie frowned. She walked over and put a hand on Karen's arm, but the thirteen year old recoiled in fear.

"And no doubt before James it was Jesse wasn't it?"

Karen only nodded, still not facing Christie. The woman sighed.

"You poor thing. No wee lass should have to endure something like this."

Karen turned slightly to look at Christie. The honey blond woman looked to be maybe four or five years older than Frank, but she had a serious and forlorn look in her eyes that was there every time she came in. She was Irish, and sometimes she told Karen old folk stories to try and distract her when she was stitching her up. The door opened again and someone was shoved in, hitting the floor with a sickening crunch. Karen turned away again, not wanting to see which of her brothers it was.

"No sense making you go all the way to his room Christie. Besides I thought she'd like to see one of her older brothers," Angelina chuckled darkly, tossing in some supplies after the boy, "Patch him up."

There was a groan from the prone figure on the floor of the stone and concrete cell.

"Come on lass, you can help."

Karen said nothing as she turned around to help treat who she now saw was Joe. He was bleeding from his right arm where many obvious cuts were. Karen resisted the urge to puke.

"Who was it lad?"

"Osvaldo," the boy answered.

"What did he do and where lad?"

"He kicked me in the stomach and made some nasty cuts into my right arm," he supplied, "Other than that I'm physically fine."

" _Physically_?" Karen pried in an attempt to distract him from Christie stitching up his arm.

"I've been worried sick about you and Frank, and James has been in to see me. What's happened to you?"

Karen fell silent. How could she tell him? He would never look at her the same.

"Karen?"

"Don't press her lad. She'll tell you when she's ready."

Joe reached out towards his sister, but she recoiled, just as she had with Christie, but before he could question, the door swung open again and Jesse was there.

"Time's up. We've got to move."

Jesse stepped towards Karen and grabbed her arm. She made a squealing noise and he slapped her.

"Shut up! The cops will find us!"

"Too late," said a voice, "Hands on your head."

The group turned and saw Angelina, Osvaldo, and James handcuffed and looking pretty upset about it. Frank was with them, and he pushed his way past the police and tackled Jesse. A couple of officers came over and cuffed him. Jesse became hysterical at this point.

"I'll get you!" He screamed, "I'm in your head and I'll stay there! You'll never be safe as long as you live you little brat! You'll die with me in that head of yours!"

Karen turned away from him and buried her face in Joe's chest. Joe wrapped his arms around her protectively. She shuddered at first, but then hugged him tighter.

"Your stupid brothers and your stupid father can't protect you forever princess!" Jesse continued to yell at her, "I'll come back for you and I won't fail!"

The police escorted Jesse and the rest away, and attempted to arrest Christie, but Frank explained and she wasn't taken into custody. All three Hardys were admitted to the hospital. When they arrived, Karen proved to be a very big problem. She screamed whenever anyone other than Christie or Joe touched her. They eventually had to sedate her. She had signed a form that her condition and diagnosis were not to be told or released to anyone so no one other than herself and Christie knew what had happened to her. But not even Christie knew what Jesse meant when he threatened Karen.

One thing was for sure : Karen knew Jesse was right. He _would_ stay there.


	4. Chapter 2

"We have set a trial date and the charges have been set," said the attorney, "The charges against James Dirivian, kidnapping, assault, and battery. The charges against Osvaldo Morales, kidnapping, assault, and battery. The charges against Angelina Morales, kidnapping, assault, and battery. The charges against Jesse Michaelson, kidnapping, verbal assault, battery, and sexual assault. The trial is-"

"Wait. _Sexual assault_?!" Joe shouted.

He looked at Frank, who shook his head. All eyes in the room turned to Karen, who was still looking blankly out the window. Frank spoke, his voice no higher than a whisper.

"You don't want anyone to touch you," he said, realization striking him as he continued to point things out, "You only answer in one word or a head movement. You look around blankly, not saying a word. You didn't want your diagnosis released to anyone. You don't sing anymore, you don't dance, you don't even _listen_ to music. You stopped hanging out with your friends. You lock yourself in your room, and eat very little. Why didn't you say something?"

She stayed silent. Joe strode over to her and put his hand on her shoulder, causing her to shriek and recoil.

"Did he do it?" Joe asked.

No reply.

"Karen Louise, did he touch you?!" Joe shouted.

One almost imperceptible... _nod_.

The room was silent. Joe had a murderous look in his eyes.

"I. Will. Skin. Him. Alive." He growled, "No one does that to _my_ baby sister and gets away with it."

Karen looked up from her hands, white as a sheet, shaking her head vigorously.

"Joe, you can't kill him. He'll never get justice that way," Frank intervened, "But Karen, I do have one question. Why do you pull back from us? We can help, and we'd never hurt you like that."

She looked back down at her hands.

"Deodorant," she whispered.

"What?"

Joe looked at her.

"Deodorant?" He asked.

"I was blindfolded and everything about you that I can't see, he replicated," she whispered, "He smelled like you, felt like you, but then he… he… you know. He made me feel safe and then…"

Joe no longer looked at her. She was breaking down more and more as she continued.

"I can't… I can't… He ripped the feeling of safety I used to have with you away from me and he didn't just touch me. When I refused, he beat me to a bleeding pulp and said that if I refused him again it would be worse. And then he said all these things about me and you and Frank, and-"

"Exactly what things Karen?" Frank asked.

"He said that after what I'd done you would never take me back," Karen rambled, the tears streaming down her face like a waterfall, "The perfect angel Hardy daughter was really no better than a filthy whore and you'd kick me out and it would be better if I died because then the Hardy family's good name would be spared and-"

"What did he call you?" Joe interrupted, infuriated.

"He called me a slut and a whore and said I was no better than the hookers in the street and-"

"This is why I am going to skin that man alive!" Joe shouted, "This is why! He's broken my _**thirteen-year old**_ sister into a thousand pieces and I'm done with it!"

"Joe," Karen sobbed, "Please…"

He looked at her. She was little and broken, and there was nothing he could do about it. He stepped towards her.

"Do you want us near you?" He asked.

She flew to him and hugged him like her life depended on it. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Frank joined the hug and the attorney closed his folder. The things this thirteen-year old girl had been forced to endure during just a four day period is more than anyone should endure in a lifetime.


	5. Epilogue

It took months for Karen to let anyone touch her, but that didn't mean she wasn't improving. Joe heard music playing in her room a couple of times, and Frank even heard her singing along once. She was eating more and she didn't have that lost, blank look in her eyes. Her old self was slowly returning. It took a while, but through each other, they were healing.


	6. New Story Alert

This story will be important background information when a new story I'm writing gets done. We will have a new story and old problems. Thanks Bye!!


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